Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Norma (Nor)  ·  Contains:  NGC 6164  ·  NGC 6165  ·  PK336-00.1
Inside a Dragon's egg, Vivian Budnik
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Inside a Dragon's egg

Inside a Dragon's egg, Vivian Budnik
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Inside a Dragon's egg

Equipment

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Acquisition details

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Description

Since this is not my gear, I will describe here:
Telescope Chi-3: 39 inch Ritchey Chretien reflector;
Camera FLIPL 16803/F6.8
Location: El Sauce Observatory, Rio Hurtado Valley, Chile


During the long cloudy days this summer, when I did not have sufficient data to analyze, I joined "Telescope Live". I liked to have the ability to use remote telescopes and to be able to reach other parts of the sky that are unreachable from where I am. In the end, I am not sure I enjoyed the experience. There is something to say about the ability to image the sky "on your own", even if your telescope is tiny compared to those offered. Also, although a great idea, I am not sure it was a learning environment, which I needed at the time. In any case, I purchased some scope time, and this is one of the objects I targeted. Now that my exposure times are longer and longer, I come back to that data, until I have something acquired by myself to process.

This is an absolutely interesting object, with its clear bipolar shape. There is some controversy about whether it is or it is not a planetary nebula. The ESA site states that it is a pre-planetary nebula, in the process of becoming a planetary nebula. I also learned that planetary nebulas have nothing to do with planets, but rather they are formed by material being shed from old sun-like stars (this appears to be about 40 times the size of the sun). The central star illuminates and heats up this material, making it to glow. I have to read some more about why in this case the glow is so polarized.

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Inside a Dragon's egg, Vivian Budnik

In these public groups

Fine Art Astrophotography